More Yankee goodness

I picked up this little gem on eBay. I was gunning for the Mattingly but for the price people normally pay for just the Mattingly I got 9 other cards (an auto of Danny Cater isn't pictured here but was on the back of the page)


I was extremely excited about the Jimmy Key and David Cone autos on top of the Mattingly. Cone and Key were starters on the 1996 World Championship team. Jimmy Key pitched in Game 6 of the 1996 World Series and took the win over Greg Maddux. 1996 will always be my favorite season. We had just moved to North Carolina that summer and I have to be honest I wasn't following the Yankees too closely at the time. I don't remember much about the summer or days before the postseason but I definately remember the postseason. I remember the Yanks beating Texas and then those memorable games against the Orioles. Then those crushing first two game losses to Atlanta and then marching back four straight games to take the Series. Being in the south where I presumed everyone was a Braves fan really makes you feel out of place. I was beyond elated when they won. I remember jumping or shouting (both of which I continued to do for all the other World Championships we won).

You never forget your first postseason (1995, that Mattingly home run will probably rank pretty high, close to a wedding and childbirth) and the first time your team actually wins it all. I was hoping to recapture that with Dave's Rays this year. You're not supposed to root for the enemy but seyeariously, if your team wasn't in the postseason how couldn't you root for the Rays?

Anyway, these cards are awesome. I have a Ralph Houk and Al Downing autograph. Al freakin Downing, I can't believe it! I look at the cards, look up the players on wikipedia to learn things I never knew or completely forgot and it's just amazing. It may be corny but I get a feeling I can't describe when I look back at Yankee history or baseball history for that matter. Well, baseball history that isn't "unpleasant" in my opinion, there are certain events in history I would (and do) block out. But homerun chases, walk off home run game winners, Game 7 winners, pitchers that win over 25 games in a season, larger than life players (I know I'm describing the 60's). I just love it.

Damn, I love this game.